Circular-rib-knitting machine



(N Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. W. SCOTT 8u L. N. D. WILLIAMS.

CIRCULAR RIB KNITTINC MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 1,1, 1890.

*TWA* IM lm l l I I WL N. PETERS, Phowliihogmpher. Wnlhngtun. D.'C

3 sheets--sheet 2.

R'. W.`SCOTT & L. N. D. WILLIAMS.

i CIRCULAR RIB KNITTINC MACHINE. No. 421,147.` Patented Feb. II, 189C.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. W. SCOTT 8u L. N. D. lWILLIAMS- CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 421,147. Patented Peb. 11,1890.

N. PETERS. Pnammlwgmplm., wnsmngmn, D L.

UNITED STATES PATENT f @Prion ROBERT lV. SCOTr1 AND LOUIS N. D. VILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA,`

PENNSYLVANIA.

`CIRCULAR-RlB-KNITTINGMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,147, dated February 11, 1890.

Appncaion inea .my 11, 1889. sei-iai No. 317,175. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT W. SCOTT and Louis N. D. WILLIAMS, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in GirculanRib-Knitting Machines, of which the following isa specification.

Our invention relates to rib-knitting machine-s in which a needle-cylinder and dial, or their equivalents, are combined with each other, one object of our invention being to so construct such a machine as to insure the absolute truth of the dial in respect to the cylinder and the proper working of the needles of one in respect to those of the other a further object being to lessen the friction caused by the passage of the fabric between the stops or bearing-dogs of the cylinder and dial; a still further object being to insure a positive, uniform, and steady take-up for the material as it is produced; another object being to provide for the tucking of the needles of the dial on their outward movement, or on both the outward and inward movement; another object being to provide for universal adjustment of the yarn-guide; another object being to permit the ready removal of a needlefrom the machine when desired; and a still further object beingto so construct the cylinder or dial as to prevent excessive wear of the upper or outer edges of said cylinder or dial and of the bottoms or bases of the needle grooves or slots therein. These objects we attain in the manner hereinafter set forth,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-d Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a knitting machine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 1 2,Fig.1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view on the line 3 4, Fig. 1. Fig. f1 is a sectional plan view on the line 5 6, Fig. 1; and Figs. 5 to 1l are detached views illustrating special features of construction or modifications ot` the invention.

The xed frame 1 of the machine carries the vertical needle-cylinder 2 and has suitable bearings formedV on it for the vertical cam-cylinder 1%, which is provided with cams,

as usual, for actuating the needles of the cylinder, and has a bevel-gear 4 for engaging with a bevehpinion 5 on the driving-shaft 6, adapted to bearings in the fixed frame and having fast and loose pulleys 7 and 8 for receiving a belt from any available countershaft, the shaft G being also provided with a hand-wheel 9, by which the machine lnay be operated by hand on the various occasions when such operation is required. The bevelgear 4e of the cam-cylinder 3 is also in mesh with a bevel-pinion `10 on a short shaft 11, adapted to bearings in the main frame opposite those which carry the shafts 6, this shaft 11 being likewise provided with a hand-wheel 12, whereby the machine may be operated when itis not convenient to operate it by the hand-wheel 9,the provision of this secondary driving-shaft and hand-wheel being of considerable importance in machines of large size, such as are employed for the manufacture of shirts and like articles of underwear, owing' to the fact that while engaged in adj usting or making repairs to parts of the machine in certain locations the hand-whee1 9 is practically inaccessible, and a single attendant cannot conveniently attend to the making of such adjustments or repairs, as slight movement of the rotating parts of the machine is frequently required while the repairs are in` progress. In" our machine, however, one or other of the l1andwheels is readily accessible by the attendant 'from any point on the machine where adjustment or repair is likely to be required.

The cam-cylinder 3 has the usual columns 13, supporting the arch 14, which carries the central spindle or stem 15, on which the needle-dial 16 is supported, and to which the dial cam-plate 17 is secured so as to turn with the main cam-cylinder, the dial being prevented from turning by engagement with a projecting portion of the needle cylinder or bed, as described hereinafter. Instead of the central spindle 15 being secured directly to the hub 1S of the arch, however, as usual, said spindle is secured to a sleeve 19, which is carried by a number oi' radially-disposed setscrews 20, equidistantly located around the hub 18, four pairs of these screws bein g shown IOO i-n the present instance, one screw of each pair being adjacent to the top of t-he hub, -and the other screw of each pair being adjacent to the bottom of the'hub, so that the two radially-disposed sets of screws are in different vertical planes. By the manipulation Aof these set-screws the sleeve 19, and consequently the. spindle 15 and the needle-dial and its cam-plate can be moved laterally in any direction and to any extent, so that the absolute centering of the dial with respect to the needle-cylinder can be readily effected and the production of a tubel uniform in all its. parts thus insured. The set-screws may, if the sleeve-19 is circular, take such hold of said sleeve as to insure the rotation of the same with the hub 1S; or the sleeve and hub may. be of polygonal or other shape, which will insure the turning of one by the other.

1t is important, also, that provision for accurate and minute circumferential adjustment of the dial should be provided inl a machine of this class in order that the needles of the dial may work properly in the spaces between the needles of the cylinder, so to prevent accidental contact of the needles of one with those of the other. For this reason we provide means for the delicate adjustment of the bearing lug or dog carried by the cylinder or dial in respect to that carried by the dial and cylinder, and we also provide'for a positive feed being imparted to the fabric where it passes between these two bearingsurface, so that the friction upon the fabric such as is caused by the passage of the saine between the ordinary rigid bearing-surf aces of the cylinder and dial-is overcome. The construction of parts for the attainment of these objects is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, on reference to which it. will be observed that the spindle 15 carries at its lower end abevelwheel 21, which serves incidentally as the means of vertically supporting the needle- -dial 16. This bevel-wheel 21 meshes with bevel-pinions 22 on short shafts 23, adapted 'to bearings in brackets 24, depending from the under side of the dial, the outer ends of these shafts having anti-frict-ion rollers 25, which serve as feed-rollers and act in conjunction with rollers 26, carried by the inner arms of levers 27, hung to t-he under side of the iixed frame 1 of the machine, the outer arm of each lever being acted upon by a spring 2S and an adj ust-ing-screw 2S), the threaded stem of the latter being adapted to a threaded opening in a lug 30 on the under side of the frame. The knitted web as it passes downward from the needles of the cylinder and dial is caused to pass between the rollers 25 and 26 in the same manner as it i ordinarilyv passes between the lugs of the It will be evident that by moving the levers 27, or either of them, pressure may be brought to bear upon the rollers 25, so as to cause a circumferential movement of the dial in respect to the cam-cylinder, and by reason of the employment of the adj usting-screw 29 for `effecting the movement of the lever extremely delicate adjustments of the dial in respect to the cylinder are possible, and the correct working of the needles ofl the dial in respect to those of the cylinder may be thus insured.

It is not absolutely necessary that the rollers I25 should be positively driven, as antifriction rollers turning on fixed studs proj ecting from the brackets 24 may in some cases be used with good effect as regards the lessening of the friction upon thedes'cending web of fabric, and so far as regards the provision for effecting delicate adjustment of one bearing in respect to the other our invention may be carried outin connection with rigid bearing-lugs, such as are usually employed, an instance of such construction being shown in Fig. 6, in which the outer arm of a lever 27, hung to the under side of the dial, is caused to engage with a lug 25a, proj ecting inward from the needle-cylinder 2, the inner arm of the lever 27 being acted upon by a spring 28 and an adj usting-screw 29, ot' the same character as that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5.

The needle-cylinder 2 and the needle-dial 16 are grooved or slotted, as usual, for the reception and guidance of the Shanks of the needles; but as these parts of the machine are usually made of brass or other soft metal they have a tendency to wear, especially at the upper or outer ends, where the heels of the latches at the back of the needle-Shanks are being rapidly and continuously moved to and fro over the bases of the slots, and Where the fabric is being continuously drawn yover the edge of the cylinder or dial. `To counteract this tendency, therefore, we recess the upper edge of the cylinder and the outer por*- tion of 'the dial for the reception of one or more hardenedbearingrings 31, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, two of such rings being there shown-one at the extremeedge of the cylinroo der or dial and the other some distance inward therefrom-these rings providing hardened bearing-surfaces for the latch-c`arrying ends of the needles and serving to prevent wear of the cylinder or dial by the butts of the latches or by the fabric passing over the edge of said cylinder or dial.

The dial cam-plate 17 has needle-projecting cams 32 and needle-retracting Cams 33, and at the tail end of each of said retracting-cams 33 is a pivoted toe 3l, which,when thrown inward, as shown in Fig. 4, will cause the dialneedles to be retracted to their full4 extent, so as to cast their stitches, but if moved outward will fail to move the needles inward to their full extent, and will thus allow the needles to retain theirold stitches, as well as to receive new loops, `thus forming what is called a i tuckstitch.7 Some of the projecting cams 32 also have movable bits 35, which, when occupying their outermost position, cause the needles to be fully extended, so as to slip the stitches carried thereby back of the latches; but when these movable bits are retracted,as shown in Fig. 4, they lwill fail to project the needles to the full extent, and will permit them to retain their old stitches and receive new loops, thus also forming a tuck-stitch.

The pivot-shanks of the toes 34 are provided with levers 36, the outer arms of which project into the path of suitable adjustable tripping arms or disks common to machines of this class, and such,for instance, as shown in R. NV. Scotts patent, No. 368,429, dated August 16,1887, the inner arms of the levers being connected to other levers 37, also projecting into the path of the tripping arms ory disks, so that when the lever 36 is acted upon directly it will be moved in one direction, and when the lever 37 is acted upon the lever 36 will be moved through the medium of said lever 37, but in the opposite direction from the movement directly imparted to it .By contact rst of one lever and then of the other lever with the tripping arm or disk, therefore, the toe 34 of the retracting-cam 'may be moved to the full knitting-pointer to the tuck-point,- as desired.

The levers 37 are acted upon by springs 38, which, when the lever is in one extreme position, are on one side of the central line of the lever, and when said lever is in the other extreme position are on the opposite side of said central lin'e, so that the springs tend to hold the levers in their extreme positions or to move them to such extreme positions as soon as the spring has passed the central point of the lever in the movement of the latter in one direction or the other. Where the projecting cams 32 have movable bits 35, these bits may be operated by the levers 37, these levers having` notched arms-40,engaging with pins 4l projecting from the movable bits 4of the cams through radial slots `42 in the camplate, `other pins 43 on the bits projecting through other-radial slots 44, and serving to guide and support the rear ends of the movable bits.

ln cases where it is desired to operate only the toes 34 of the retracting-cams 33, the levers 37 may not have the arm 40. (See, for instance, the construction. shown at the righthand side of Fig.

It may be advisable iu some cases, also, to operate the bits of the projecting-cams with` out operating the toes of the retracting-cams. For this reason the levers 36 are split for adaptation to the pivot-stems of the toes 34 of the cams, the spring-nger thus formed being acted upon by a clampingscrew 45 when it is desired to clamp the lever to the pivot-pin of the toe. When the lever is looscned, the pivot-pin is held securely in position by means of another clamp-serein7 46, carried by the cam-plate, as shownin Fig. 9. In like manner the toes of the cams 33 may be operated without operating the bits of the cams 32, by loosening the set-screw 75,where' by the lever 37l is secured to the pivot-stem carrying the notched arm 40. i

In order to provide for the operation of one set of cams independently of the operation of another set, the levers of different cams may occupy different vertical planes, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 10, so that a tripping arm or disk which would act upon the levers of one set of cams would not act upon those of the other set. i

In machines of this class it is desirable to provide for adjustment of the thread-guide in all directions in order to insure the proper delivery of the yarn to the needles. With this object in view, therefore, We provide the thread-guide 47' with a vertical slot 48, for

`the reception of a set-screw 49, whereby said guide is secured to the end of an arm-50, which is adapted to and, is secured by a setscrew SO in a bearing in abracket 5l, the base of the latter having segmental slots 52, for the reception of confining-screws 53, so that there may be a vertical adjustment of the guide on the arm, a swinging movement of the arm in the bracket, and a circumferential adjustment ofA the` bracket on the camplate, `as Well as a radial movement ofthe guide-carrying arm in-its bearing, thus providing for such accurate and minute adjustment of the `guide as may be required under the different conditions of working of the machine. In case of breakage or defect of Vone or more of the needles or ofV their shanks or bits, and of the necessity of removal of such needle or needles from the needle-cylinder, the top of the cam-cylinder is provided with a detachable plate 54, on the removal of vwhich and the adjustment of this portion of the cam-cylinder to a position in line with the needle or needles to be removed the latter can be lifted by means of a sliding gate 55, so as to be removed from th eneed1ecylinder.

In machines of the class to which our invention relates, it is usual to provide poweroperated take-up mechanism at the lower portion of the frame, so as to cause the tubular web of fabric to be drawn down from the cylinder as fast asit is produced,.this` mechanism usually comprising a pair of ribbed or Iluted rollers 56, carried by a suspended frame, the rollers being driven by spur or ratchet gearing, so as to properly take up the fabric. The objection to this gearing, however, is it-s intermittent action, and

the intermittent strain or pull upon thefabric due thereto. In .our machine, therefore, we provide the shaft 'of one of the rollers with a worm-wheel 57, operated by a worm 53 on a shaft 59, adapted to bearings in .the

lswinging frame 60, and having a bevel-wheel 6l meshinginto abevel-pinion 62 on a shaft 63, likewise vhung to the swinging frame and having a grooved pulley 64;, for the reception `ofa belt 65, running from a grooved pulley 66 on the driving-shaft 6 of the machine. As soon as the length of cloth produced, therefore, is sufficient to permit the drop of lthe swinging frame to lsuch a position as to `tighten the belt 65, the pulley 64 will be ro' tated, thus rotating the shaft 59 and its worm,

`and hence imparting ya rotating motion to thetake-up rolls 56,'thus causingthe same; to rise on the lweb of fabric, the motionbee ing arrested as soon as the swinging frame;

has been lifted'su-fiiciently toremove the pulley. 64: from driving contact .with the belt 65;

the :motion being resumed on the next de-` ;scent of the frame to an extent sufficient to tighten the belt.

By the use of the wormgearing gradual and easy movements are imparted to the able position on the latter is another bracket,`

72, to which is pivoted a mirror 73. This mirroris thus located at the rear of the ma-I chine, and provides means whereby the attendant can observe the condition of the rear portion ofthe tube of fabric which is being delivered by the machine, so that any defect inany part of said tube can be at once noticed by the attendant and the machine stopped until the defect is remedied, whereas in lan ordinary machine the front portion only of the tube of fabric is under the eye of the attendant, and defects in the rear por tion of the tube are likely to pass unnoticed, andare thus liable to be repeated indefinitely.

It will be evident that many of our improvements are applicable to that class of machines in which the cylinder and dial rotate and the canncylinder and cam-plate are stationary.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl.-The combination of the needle-cylinder and cam-box of a rib-knitting machine, the needle-dial and dial cam-plate, the supporting-spindle therefor, the supporting-arch, and radial set-screws whereby the spindle may be adjusted laterally in any direction in respect to the hub of the arch,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the needle-cylinder, cam-box, needle-dial, and dial cam-plate of a rib-knitting machine, the supporting-spindle and arch for said dial and cam-plate, and mechanism for effecting vthelateral adjustment of the same, comprising two sets of radially-arranged set-screws, said sets being in different vertical planes, substantially as specified.

3. The combination ofthe needle-cylinder and needle-dial of a rib-knitting machine, bearing-lugs carried by the fixed cylinder or frame and the dial and provided with rollers between which the fabric passes, and means for rotatingr one of the rollers, substantially asspecitied.

4. The combination ofthe needle-carrier of aknitting-machine, having grooves or lslots for the reception and guidance of the needles, witha hardened ring applied to a `recess at the outer end of the carrier and serving as a bearing for the needles andfor the fabricas it passes over the edge of the carrier, substantially as specified.

,5. The combination of the dial cam-plate of a rib-knitting machine and its needle projecting and retracting cams, each having movable portions with a connected pair of operating-levers, one -acting upon the movable portion of the projecting-cam and the other upon the movable portion of the retracting-cam, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the dial cam-plate and its cams with the pair of connected levers, one operating `upon the movable part of the proj ecting-cam` and the other acting upon the movable part of the retracting-cam, and means for releasing one of the levers so as to render one of the cams inoperative, substantially as specified.

47. The combination of the dial cam-plate and its cams with the pair of connected levers, one operating upon lthe `movablepart of the proj ectin'g-cam andthe other acting upon the movable part of the retracting-cam, and means for releasing both of the levers so as to render either of the cams inoperative, substantially as specified.

S. The combination of the dial cani-plate of a 4rib-knittin g machine, the series of cams carried by said plate, and operating-levers for said cams, the levers of some of the cams being in a diiferent vertical plane from those of the other cams, substantially as specified.

9. The combination of the yarn-guide, its carrying-stem and bracket, with provisions for vertically adjusting the' guide-on the stem and for permitting the stem to be swung in the bracket and to be radially adjusted therein, and provisions for adjusting the bracket circumferentially on the cam-plate of the machine, substantially as specified.

10. The combination of the drive-shaft of the machine and a pulley thereon, the takeup rolls, the pivoted frame carrying thesame, a take-up drive-shaft also carried by the frame and having a pulley, a belt adapted to said pulley and to the pulley on the main driving-shaft, a countershaft geared to the takeup drive-shaft, and worm-gearing whereby ITO IZO

said counter-shaft is caused to operate one of the take-np rolls, substantially as specified.

1l. The combination of the recessed eameylinder having a movable gate with a detachahle plate Closing the top of the recess in which said movable gate operates, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of Io two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT WV. SCOTT. LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. OONNER, HARRY SMITH. 

